Step right up! Take your shots at Kuk Sool Won!

Ok folks. As promised to a backfistmonkey here's a split from the "Is Kuk Sool Won anygood" thread in Newbietown. I realized that since I've been on Bullshido I haven't really had much of a hard time from any of you (except maybe a little on the MAP video megathread). So, I suppose now is the time for the raping I never got when I came here.

Here's your chance to ask or tell me anything you want about Kuk Sool Won. I'll admit my internet debate skills are anything but top notch. There's a good chance I'll type something that makes no sense, or may seem to contradict something else. So some of you word magicians may have a lot of fun with this one. Anyway, enough of the pleasantries, I'm ready to run this gauntlet.

My theory on the pink fan and why it is an effective martial arts tool.

Let's say someone was going to fight you. All of sudden you whip out a pink fluffy fan and start waving it at them. They're like "WTF?" and stand thier stunned, and then you kick them hard in the nuts.

Pink Fluffy fan is the ultimate distractor out side of a nice pair of boobs.

Sorry for my ignorance, but how do you define Kuk Sool Won? I understood it to be a blanket term for Korean martial arts (but, that's not from personal knowledge, only from what I've read/heard).

Well, the literal translation of Kuk Sool Won is National (or in this case Korean) Martial Arts Organization. I suppose the art itself is just Kuk Sool (the Won is the Organization part). Basically, it's a term that Suh, In Hyuk gave his art which is a relative/offshoot of Hapkido. I'd link you to the kuk sool won website, but their history is a bit far fetched (hmmm a korean art with a sketchy past?).

Kuk Sool Won is a term only used by the World Kuk Sool Association, except for a few schools in Canada that broke away and used the term before an international trademark was received by the WKSA.

BJJ might make you a better ground fighter, but Judo will make you a better dancer.

Join Date

Dec 2005

Location

W. Yorks, UK

Posts

5,009

Posted On:7/25/2006 9:44am

Style: Judo

--

My impression of Kuk Sool Won: Blatent McDojo franchise designed to entice the maximum amount of cash from punters. Probably a rather large portion of bullshido thrown into the mix too (don't want those punters to get hurt, they'll stop paying!).

Completely fabricated history.

Expensive 'ceremonial' uniforms and equipment.

The "we do everything, don't you dare spend your money to cross train anywhere!" attitude. That's bad enough as it is, but I've heard that after a certain rank members are forbidden from learning other arts (don't know if this is true, sounds far fetched even for this).

99% forms.

Gimmicky, unrealistic photographs designed to impress the uninformed. From everybody. It seems that a requirement for dan ranking is to be able to do these.

Fucking point sparring.

Absolutely abysmal 'breaking'. Ok hardcore old school guys breaking real bricks with their faces is something you can respect in martial arts, whether such things are applicable against real people or not, but the breaking you guys do is a joke. You'd get more resistance out of dried pasta than you do out of those 'boards'.

My impression of Kuk Sool Won: Blatent McDojo franchise designed to entice the maximum amount of cash from punters. Probably a rather large portion of bullshido thrown into the mix too (don't want those punters to get hurt, they'll stop paying!).

I'm not going to, or at least try not to, candy coat anything. Basically, yes, there are schools that do what you just mentioned. That's a problem with just about any somewhat widespread MA. That's part of finding a good school.

Completely fabricated history.

As I mentioned earlier the history is suspect, but this is the case in most KMA's because of the fierce nationalism and dislike of the japanese. As for this, I'm able to seperate the "history" from the art.

Expensive 'ceremonial' uniforms and equipment.

None of this is required to be a student. The expensive Generals Uniforms which everyone on here loves so much have, in the past, only been required for blackbelts that want to compete in forms/weapons divisions in tournaments. I believe (though I could be wrong since I haven't competed in over a year) that they're getting away from this. Basically it's like formalwear for demos anymore, but it's NOT required to own one of these. As for the equipment, if you mean the weapons, most schools will allow you to use school equipment.

The "we do everything, don't you dare spend your money to cross train anywhere!" attitude. That's bad enough as it is, but I've heard that after a certain rank members are forbidden from learning other arts (don't know if this is true, sounds far fetched even for this).

I believe this is technically the attitude after one receives blackbelt. However, I have never once heard of it being enforced. Anymore, I don't think anyone cares. We even have at least master who has been cross-training in BJJ in an effort to expand the ground game of his students.

99% forms.

Just untrue. There is 1 empty handed form per belt rank. The once you hit BB you get some weapons forms thrown in. Some people don't like forms. I personally enjoy them, and I don't see anything wrong with them. This is as long as one understands that forms don't actually teach you practical application of movement, but rather aid in stretching and muscle conditioning. To give you an example of the number of forms I'm a 1st Dahn. There are 6 belts before black. So essentially I'm on the 7th rank. I have learned 7 empty handed forms and 4 weapons forms.

Gimmicky, unrealistic photographs designed to impress the uninformed. From everybody. It seems that a requirement for dan ranking is to be able to do these.

I have no defense for this. Yeah, some people like to pose.

Fucking point sparring.

This is for tournaments only. Once again, this is dependent upon school. I have trained in near full contact sparring at one of my schools (though limited targets, i.e. no groin or knee shots, or back). Some instructors push realistic sparring more than others. My current school infact does a modified type grappling in which you sit on your knees facing each other trying to apply different techniques (locks and such) against each other.

Absolutely abysmal 'breaking'. Ok hardcore old school guys breaking real bricks with their faces is something you can respect in martial arts, whether such things are applicable against real people or not, but the breaking you guys do is a joke. You'd get more resistance out of dried pasta than you do out of those 'boards'.

Examples please? I've always had to break standard 10x12 pine boards. And now they're speed breaks which means they're barely held, making them more difficult to break. I'm not stating there's any practical app to breaking, but you brought it up, so I'm telling you I haven't seen any difference in our breaking as other styles.

Cult like worship of the 'grandmaster'.

It's respect, not worship. He's the founder of the style, so we respect him. When I see him in real life, I bow to him. He, unlike some styles, is an extremely personable guy. He'll shoot the **** with even the lowest grades and tell jokes with you. People respect him because he doesn't COMMAND respect. He knows we pay his bills, and treats us like real people, not subjects.